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Chefs and Head Cooks

Occupation · SOC 2018 35-1011 · United States

SOC 2018 code
35-1011
Share of U.S. applications
0.09%
Applications on record
10,725
FY2025
838
Median offered wage
$70,000
Certified (last three years)
88.0%
Main route
PERM labour certification
Median wage$70,000certified LCAs, FY2024–FY2026
Year by year
Data as at 30 Jun 2026
OC<USACHEFS<AND<HEAD<COOKS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
3510111<N107254<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<8

Applications year by year

Labor condition, PERM and H-2 applications classified as Chefs and Head Cooks (SOC 35-1011). Older SOC codes are mapped to SOC 2018.

Applications by fiscal year — Chefs and Head Cooks

6551,309FY2008FY2010FY2012FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026*
6551,309FY2008FY2012FY2016FY2020FY2024FY2026*
Data table
FY2008908
FY2009559
FY20101,309
FY2011713
FY2012445
FY2013334
FY2014278
FY2015592
FY2016739
FY2017570
FY2018538
FY2019411
FY2020391
FY2021294
FY2022331
FY2023368
FY2024441
FY2025838
FY2026*666
Fiscal yearCW-1H-2AH-2BLCAPERM
FY2026*103844583
FY20255040109684
FY2024703888308
FY20232114271233
FY2022832975216
FY202191645233
FY20202921940301
FY20192121567306
FY2018021764455
FY20170214103451
FY2016002784628
FY20150124142425
FY20140013127138
FY20130023125186
FY20120020165260
FY20110021196496
FY20100002291,080
FY200900069490
FY20080000908
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Largest sponsoring employers

Employers with the most applications in this occupation, all years.

Applications by employer
  1. Fogo De Chao Holdings Inc.239
  2. The Dinex Group, LLC79
  3. N & L Lichtenstein Inc.59
  4. Kabuki Restaurants,inc.37
  5. Deli 6535
  6. Northern Hospitality Group27
  7. Naan-n-curry LLC23
  8. Quan's Enterprises Inc.21
  9. European Home Made Foods, Inc20
  10. Amber India Corporation19
  11. Abu Omar Halal LLC18
  12. MGM Grand Hotel, LLC18
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Where the jobs are

Worksite state and metropolitan area (Census CBSA).

Chefs and Head Cooks: applications by worksite state

2+17+46+99+256+
2+17+46+99+256+
Data table
StateApplications
CA1,886
NY1,647
TX875
FL792
NJ497
MA461
IL453
PA350
GA311
VA297
DC260
MD256
WA186
CT165
UT161
NV146
NC145
CO144
MI117
OH108
AZ106
TN102
SC99
MP89
MN78
LA69
WI69
AK67
MO67
OR65
OK58
KY53
HI48
IN46
ME44
ID39
AL38
MS36
AR35
RI31
NH28
MT23
IA23
GU20
KS17
WV15
DE15
NE14
NM9
VT9
ND7
SD7
WY6
VI6
PR2
Metropolitan areas
  1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ1,887
  2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA937
  3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV617
  4. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL465
  5. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN418
  6. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH346
  7. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX339
  8. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA332
  9. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX292
  10. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA255
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Pay

Offered annual wages on certified labor condition applications, FY2024–FY2026.

Offered annual wage, 10th to 90th percentile (certified LCAs)

Median $70,000; middle half $58,531 to $81,349 · median prevailing wage $61,984 (marker) · 205 applications.

$40k$55k$70k$85k$100k
$40k$55k$70k$85k$100k
Prevailing wage level
  1. Level I37
  2. Level II73
  3. Level III61
  4. Level IV63
Job titles on labor condition applications
  1. Executive Chef471
  2. Sous Chef182
  3. Chef146
  4. Executive Sous Chef121
  5. Head Chef110
  6. Chef De Cuisine67
  7. Executive Pastry Chef52
  8. Pastry Chef36
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OFLC — Labor Condition Application disclosure dataData as at 30 Jun 2026

Pages for this occupation by metropolitan area

Areas with at least 50 LCA and PERM applications since FY2020.

  • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
  • Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
  • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
  • Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
  • San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
  • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
  • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — disclosure data FY2008–FY2026 Q3Data as at 30 Jun 2026

Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more